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Obligatory: Now, here are some results from our phone-in poll: 95% of people believe ARod is guilty. Of course, this is just a television poll which is not legally binding. Unless proposition 304 passes, and we all pray it will.

For a comparison... Barry Bonds says almost nothing despite a book and tons of evidence, Clemens goes to court to prove he is innocent of the accusations from one trainer who was not known for his honesty. HOF vote? 214 votes for Clemens, 206 for Bonds. Yeah, A-Rod coming out and saying 'I am innocent' would make such a big difference.

Clemens's experiences in court are far more neutral than generally described on these boards. The government wasn't able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clemens perjured himself, but nor was Clemens able to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that McNamee's accusations defamed him.

For a comparison... Barry Bonds says almost nothing despite a book and tons of evidence, Clemens goes to court to prove he is innocent of the accusations from one trainer who was not known for his honesty. HOF vote? 214 votes for Clemens, 206 for Bonds. Yeah, A-Rod coming out and saying 'I am innocent' would make such a big difference.

There has been absolutely no reward from the BBWAA for being honest about the use of steroids. This, to my historian's mind, has been the biggest disaster of the whole Steroid Era.

WORF: He refused to answer the question about his Romulan grandfather.
PICARD: That is not a crime, Worf. Nor can we infer his guilt because he didn't respond.
WORF: Sir, if a man were not afraid of the truth, he would answer.
PICARD: Oh, no. We cannot allow ourselves think that. The Seventh Guarantee is one of the most important rights granted by the Federation. We cannot take a fundamental principle of the Constitution and turn it against a citizen.

They love love LOVE attacking ARod. Do they have nothing better to do?

But ARod did deny it, in a statement. Of course, that wasn't good enough, because nothing is. One would think that after Clemens climbed to the highest rooftop shouting that he was innocent only to have that seen as further evidence of his alleged guilt sportswriters would stop with this BS that that might make a difference, but clearly not.

The best response to this stuff, at this point, is probably a silent 'eff you.'

I love this from Madden, though:

At the outset of Super Bowl week, Sports Illustrated reported that Lewis may have used deer antler spray, a supplement banned by the NFL, to help recover from a torn triceps. On media day, Lewis met the controversy head-on by telling the hundreds of reporters he never used the stuff and that the story was B.S. two years ago and B.S. now.

By the end of the week, the story had faded away and nobody cared any more.

And why is that? Could it be that nobody really cares about football players doing this stuff?

But so we're clear: according to Madden and the lesson learned from Ray Lewis, all ARod has to do is tell reporters he is innocent like Lewis did, and ARod will be believed and all of this will fade away!

Not even Madden believes that. Which means that the faux Hall of Fame writer is being dishonest.

Clemens's experiences in court are far more neutral than generally described on these boards. The government wasn't able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clemens perjured himself, but nor was Clemens able to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that McNamee's accusations defamed him.

WTF are you talking about, SugarBear? Clemens never got a chance to prove that.

I think A-Rod should go full villain. He's really got nothing to lose but there are points to be made in the inconsistency of how he is handled (as pointed out here). It won't win back most folks, but he's unlikely to win them back anyway.

He could also produce his own blackmail as he must know some names that aren't out in public.

Or he could just move to some island somewhere with his piles of cash.

WTF are you talking about, SugarBear? Clemens never got a chance to prove that.

Sure he did. He sued and bailed.

The status regarding the legal system is as I wrote: The government couldn't prove perjury beyond a reasonable doubt; Clemens has tried and been (as yet) unable to prove by a preponderance that he was defamed. If Clemens proves defamation, this will change -- naturally.

Clemens didn't get "a chance to prove" defamation because he went for the home-court advantage in picking his venue.

Please stop. You said Clemens wasn't able to prove it. That is not true. It is false and misleading. It pretends that a jury rendered a verdict against him in the defamation case, which never happened. And you juxtaposed that statement alongside a situation where there WAS a trial and a verdict that was in Clemens's favor; you pretended the two situations balanced each other out.

It is false and misleading. It pretends that a jury rendered a verdict against him in the defamation case, which never happened.

It is no such thing. Clemens has claimed in court that he was defamed, but has been unable to prove it. That statement is entirely true in all particulars.

It is also likely true that he has stopped trying to prove it once his effort to obtain a home-court advantage in a clearly wrong forum failed. So the best conclusion on the current record is that Clemens is unwilling to submit his claim of defamation to a neutral forum in a proper venue.

MLB has allowed "therapeutic use" exemptions to its anti-amp rules since the anti-amp rules were put in place. Something on the order of 8% of players have been granted such exemptions. A hundred or so players have played amped up, with the knowledge of MLB, since 2007.

This is knowledge fundamental to understanding the issue. Amps are "banned" in MLB in name only.

It is becoming clear that it will be impossible for you to ever satisfy the New York fans. Therefore, I suggest that you stop trying to please them, and become every bit the villain they so desperately want you to be. A few recommendations:

1) Begin referring to yourself in the third person, as "the Rod."

[...]

4) Buy ten World Series rings from former players or front office personnel who are now down and out and in need of cash. Hell, buy twenty. After completing each transaction, point out to the seller that you just bough the crowning achievement of his life for as much money as you make in the time it takes you to take a dump in the morning. Wave your ring-covered fingers around the clubhouse, yelling, "Count the ringzzzzz!!"

[...]

6) Take every opportunity to show up the opposing team. When you hit a home run, don't trot around the bases. Walk. The important thing is that at no time should both your feet ever be off the ground. As you walk, perhaps take out an antique pipe and smoke it with a thoughtful look on your face. Or take out a block of wood and a knife and begin whittling.

[...]

8) Make sure to always insult the memories of beloved sports figures from the past. For example, if a reporter asks you what you think about the campaign to retire Roberto Clemente's number, respond, "The Rod ain't heard of this Clemento cat, but so long as fools still get to wear the Rod's number, the Rod don't want to hear no more of this retiring number business, a'ight?" When the reporter counters that Clemente gave his life flying to help earthquake victims, write a check for $1,000,000 to "Earthquake Kids" and give it to the reporter, telling him to cash it the next time there's an earthquake: "Now how come the Rod don't get his number retired now? Just 'cause he ain't dumb enough to sit his ass on no plane?" (Be sure to stop payment on the check.)

9) Only endorse the most controversial and/or distasteful products, like Alex Rodriguez Home Abortion Kits, or Alex Rodriguez Heroin Nougat.

Has there ever been a baseball player fully embrace the villain role? AJ Pieryznski seems to relish in it a bit, but he's not a superstar or anything. Bonds seemed to accept people didn't like him, but didn't out and out flaunt being disliked. Same with Albert Belle. I think it would be awesome if someone totally played up how everyone hated him, and was openly disdainful of fans in a playful manner.

I remember in 89 or 90 when Jose Canseco was still a star, the As came to Baltimore. He hit two or three dingers in the series, was roundly booed, and when he crossed the plate he would flex his bicep and wave to the crowd. As a 12 year old, I thought it was fantastic.

You know, this nation needs nothing more than it needs a movement to protect the rich and privileged from newspapers and reporters. Thank God(s) we have Calcaterra there to lead this essential and indispensible charge.

#45 - the nation needs that a whole lot more than it needs somebody to support media sources who at best are being intentionally misleading, and at worst are cynically besmirching someone to get a few online impressions.

As Max Bialystock's jury might have said, Madden is incredibly guilty in conspiracy of speaking.

It's a dumb column in a bitter newspaper from a writer who is Exhibit A in the ongoing comedy that elected no players this year but wouldn't dream of skipping a Spink Award induction if the apocalypse arrived.

#45 - the nation needs that a whole lot more than it needs somebody to support media sources who at best are being intentionally misleading, and at worst are cynically besmirching someone to get a few online impressions.

Cmon, you deserve no protection from besmirchment if you are rich and privileged, or wealthy and affluent, or even loaded and prosperous.

I remember in 89 or 90 when Jose Canseco was still a star, the As came to Baltimore. He hit two or three dingers in the series, was roundly booed, and when he crossed the plate he would flex his bicep and wave to the crowd. As a 12 year old, I thought it was fantastic.

Well, hero or villain is often dependent on which side of the fence you are on. Reggie Jackson was a hero to NY fans after his WS exploits with the Yankees; I'm certain many LA fans saw him as a villain.

Although a fairly popular player overall, Pete Rose was despised in LA, especially during the '70s when the Dodgers and Reds had a heated rivalry for a while in the NL "West" Division. To that end, Rose really clearly enjoyed getting jeers from the Dodger crowd, and it seemed the louder they booed, the better he hit.

#45 - the nation needs that a whole lot more than it needs somebody to support media sources who at best are being intentionally misleading, and at worst are cynically besmirching someone to get a few online impressions.

Yeah, 'cause A-Rod doesn't have anybody telling postive mistruths about him and never has.

Well, hero or villain is often dependent on which side of the fence you are on. Reggie Jackson was a hero to NY fans after his WS exploits with the Yankees; I'm certain many LA fans saw him as a villain.

Reggie was my thought, though, obviously, New York and some other fans loved him. He definitely embraced the boos when on the road though.

i really don't get why some people really think that a media person should keep the right to accuse a "public figure" of absolutely ANYTHING and not be liable for this because there is a "unnamed source" that he/she doesn't have to reveal.

it used to be that the gossip writers had to say "a little bird" told me that someone (who they then describe so that everyone knows who they are talking about) did Something Bad

now - why bother

a public person can't deny anything and be believed because if a media person accuses them, they are automatically guilty. there is actually no way to PROVE innocence.

actually, same thing with a non-public person. suppose i went to clinic X when i was sick and got medicine. if the doctor who ran the clinic was accused of pushing testosterone, and my name was on a list of clinic patients, does this mean i scored some illegal testosterone? according to the media, it sure does. and according to too many people in this world, it sure does. even if there is like zero proof that i ever got it let alone used it.